A Mission Trip To Kenya, Africa From A Trip Leader’s Perspective

The following is an interview with fabulous former Kenya Trip Leader Margaret Andrus.

Grace: Margaret, you have been leading Royal Servants teams to Africa for five years now, and to Kenya twice! What would you say surprised you the most about Kenya?

Margaret: Wow. The first thing that comes to mind is the stark contrast of wealth and poverty in Nairobi.

In one direction, you face the largest garbage dump in ‘all of Africa’ (says the local Kenyans), and then you turn in the other direction and see the skyscrapers of the wealthy. There is such a drastic difference over such a small distance. It's heart-rending. You see small children playing in the dirt in probably one of their only two sets of clothes, but then drive a few blocks, and you’ll see businessmen dressed in their tailored suits walking down the streets.

Grace: Why do you take students on a short-term mission trip to Kenya?

A smile bursts across Margaret’s face as she describes how Africa, in general, is a fantastic place of ministry.

Margaret: There is only a very small number of Kenyans who are willing to do ministry in the slums in Nairobi. But we have a unique opportunity to share Jesus Christ based on the privilege we have of living in the United States. People in the slums really want to get to know us and are willing to listen to what we have to say simply because we're American. We don't deserve that influence, but I think it’s an opportunity that we should not pass up!

Grace: “Okay, what about YOUR experience? What was one of your greatest Kenyan moments?”

Margaret: "I freaking kissed a giraffe, dude!"

Although kissing a giraffe was a definite highlight for Margaret, the memories she cherishes most are those witnessing the fellowship and the unity between the Kenyan ministry partners and the Royal Servants team.

Margaret: We are from two very different cultures, different walks of life, different continents even, and yet what we have in common is so much stronger and deeper than any of our differences. We are both called to minister, to build and advance the Kingdom of God, to love God above all else, and to love each other as Christ loves us. Seeing our students and the Kenyan students living that out and really understanding what it means to be a part of the 'family of God' is a blessing beyond words.

Not to mention, our ministry partners are HILARIOUS!